Cheliyan – Deputy Sea Tiger Leader killed

Oct 11th, 2008

Cheliyan, the Deputy Leader of the Sea Tigers’ was killed in Kilinochchi yesterday evening, by Special Force Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (SF LRRP) team.

Cheliyan is a commando type leader in the Sea Tiger Wing and came to prominence after the death of Manglaesh. He also led the Sea Tiger operations following its leader Soosai sustaining injuries in an explosion in Nandikadal in Puthukuduiruppu last year.

At present, in the running battle between Sri Lanka Armed Forces and the Liberation Tigers, Cheliyan was leading the LTTE forces in the war ravaged Kilinochchi and was based in Kilinochchi West.

According to a Sri Lanka Military source, a team of well trained Special Forces conducted surveillance days and days and took the target accurately and killed the deputy Sea Tiger leader and also members of his escort team yesterday evening and later the SF LRRP safely returned to base.

Sources said that the death of Cheliyan is a severe blow to LTTE.

It is further said suddenly after the death of Cheliyan, the LTTE communication went silent on the leadership instruction to ‘shut mum.’

Furthermore, sources also revealed that Special Forces LRRP dominate within the LTTE controlled territory.